Rail fares have risen twice as fast as wages in six years - and they’re going up ANOTHER 2%

Published:10:46Updated:10:55Tuesday 16 August 2016

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Rail fares have increased twice as fast as wages since 2010, new figures have shown, as ministers today announced another hike in prices of nearly two per cent.

Train fares have increased at double the speed of people’s pay since 2010, according to new analysis released today by the TUC and the rail union’s Action for Rail campaign.

The analysis shows that rail fares have risen by 25 per cent in the last six years, while average weekly earnings have only grown by 12 per cent.

The findings come as the Government is set to announce another round of regulated rail fare increases of 1.9 per cent for the coming year and protests took place this morning outside stations against the rise.

“It will reach the point where people will give up using the train. They will travel by car, which does nothing for the environment.

“This could in turn cause gridlock in Leeds, which we know is the biggest city without a tram network, and longer-term will businesses say “is it worth investing?”

Railfuture say fares go up unfairly because the Government makes calculations using the rarely used Retail Prices Index (RPI). They say it would be fairer to use the Consumer Price Index (CPI) which is used to calculate benefits, tax credits, public sector pensions and the state pension.